Courage of the Broken
by GreyWolfDruid
Summary: When they first met Stork in 'Origins' why'd he let them on, he isn't one for trusting...well follow me as we delve into his past. Maybe we'll see some old faces and maybe some new ones. Rated T for violence, adult situations and mild language.
1. Before

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Storm Hawks or the song 'The Bird and The Worm' by The Used, just Gord.**

'_He wears his heart safety-pinned to his backpack_

_His backpack is all that he knows_

_Shot down by strangers whose glances can cripple_

_The heart and devour the soul'_

Voices, clawing against his bitter judgements, left alone to torment him again and again…leaving his heart broken and pounding in fear. Voices that called that broke him out of his midday delusions, though he'd never been one to daydream… _Broken…Filthy…Jaded…Pessimistic… _Cracking opening one bloodshot eye, he saw the same iron grated walls, and the only source of light hitting his dirty, scarred green face…sunlight… It was grim, the varied amount of hope they broke from one like him. His lifeless eyes failing to take in the door or anything anymore…they just see in. Dirty streaks of blood have dried against his arms, down his back, dripping from his mouth and on his feet leaving the manacles to hang him limp and still he feels no pain. The agony is in his mind, fleeting memories of a life before this…

_Pathetic…isn't he… Can't trust no one…can you? Failed to see…didn't you! Broken and lifeless, forgotten… _No one can hear him; his voice breaks uneven, croaking in his throat and harsh. Scratching upon grated, worn and tired cords…just a whisper. Long periods without a wink of sleep, causing him to hallucinate, holding in his breath he lets out a low scream. Pushing away the thought that he can trust anyone anymore, ever again…tears escaping, he can't let them see him cry… A raspy voice sounds outside the door, a little high-pitched, loud but whispering… _What do they want with me now? Haven't they taken enough…? Least they can't plague me with mindworms…pretty sure I've been infested already…if not by metal mites! _

Slow, soft footsteps echo down the corridor leading to tiny, little cramped cells, with bolted down doors, a thin laugh reached him and a small faded shadow flooded in front of his cell, moving right where the lock was. He heard someone picking the lock, a grunt and then someone cussing, a second voice one obviously female, he couldn't hear what they were saying. A small _click _and the door swung open on its hinges.

"You now, those doors are harder than they look hehheh".

"Remind me why I came for _you _first?"

"Cause I'm a love muffin", he said, a little too loudly.

"Do I need to duct tape your loud mouth shut?"

"You could…but we both know I'll like it!" He felt two pairs of hands helping him up, lifting his head unto his lap, one with very soft; delicate hands and he couldn't make out the others. The woman cupped his head into her hands and stared roughly at his, her thin mouth parted into a smile just briefly until the other's hands lifted him into a standing position. He made out bright green eyes, in a pale face shrouded by dark purple hair and a thin, torn blue cloak held around her shoulders. He breathed a low sigh, falling into her…weightless and light. Without a problem he seemed almost asleep in her arms. "Their always falling for ya, hey Star…hehheh… Like me".

"Keep that up Gordon…and I'll make a scrambled chicken out of you!" she exclaimed rolling her eyes as he flinched at his whole name.

'It's Gord…not Gordon…not Gordie…just Gord! I don't know why I put up with you sometimes!"

"Cause it wouldn't be any fun without me!", and with that they made their way out of the cell, and padded down the corridor hoping that this wasn't a mistake.

**A/N:** So what do you guys and gals think? More?

**P.S.** By the way this story is about the Storm Hawks before and The Interceptors, about Stork and the others and yes Aerrow, The Dark Ace, Master Cyclonis and her grandmother, and Piper, Finn, Junko and Radaar will be in this story! Enjoy!


	2. Helped?

**_Disclaimer: The Storm Hawks belong to Nerd Corps and 'The Bird and The Worm' belongs to The Used, I only own the weird Gord._**

**_'_**_All alone he turns to stone_

_ While holding his breath half to death_

_ Terrified of what's inside to save his life_

_ He crawls like a worm from a bird_

_ Crawls like a worm from a bird'_

_How old are you?_ She wondered, for he looked like he'd been here…for years! His skin looking withered and dry, not smooth like his kind had, just scarred and scratched holding a pale greyish-green film…it made something in her heart wrench and twist. After all she had seen some of the people and the ones they termed only 'beasts and things', hell Gord would be considered one himself even though he was human. The smell of sweaty and the harsh air didn't help her parched throat, and if he didn't wake up soon? Oh God, are you okay? Again she felt her heart hurt, feeling like a knife went through it. Her thin lips parted into a grimace, and she felt a clammy hand go for her shoulder, falling onto her cheek.

A rough, charred hand held her cheek, small squinty dark brown eyes failing to stop the hard tears filling his tired eyes, she could see the crow's feet around the corners squint and she realised that she was holding her breathe the whole time. Crystals red, purple and blue shed the only light in the dank stone walls, glowing under their own source of light…but with a darkness cast in them. She felt like stone, her heart pounding as they watched, and drawing their stare, padding along a widened corridor. Briskly they made their way down the curving jagged hall, noticing that her footsteps made more noise and echoed harshly and grated along the stone floor, stealing the silence.

Their passenger woke up, his large yellowed eyes taking in the situation, twitching horribly and soon he let out a dry cough as the stilled but dirty air hissed into his throat, "How'd you find me?", he was surprised by how croaky and scratchy his voice was after having not used it for years, hoarse.

She had been through the wrong tide of war when she heard of a small group of Merbs resisting the Cyclonian's, held up on their own Terra just near Cyclonia's Empire, fighting for their rights, this strange Merb almost broken back after he was taken. You were the one with the older Merb, what's your name? She'd been over there trying to lead her team into…what? Why was she here?

He was gamy, filthy and highly indecent, naked more than the waist down he noticed the shift in weight at the end of him, she placed him down_. Jaded…filthy thing…you can't escape us…we made you…we can break you back down! _

Kind, filled with courage and strength he only wished he still had, green and vibrant and his.

Rough dry hands grasped his ankles, feeling his body shift again he came face to face with someone who was not even taller than four feet it seemed, his small eyes filled with exhaustion and his face held a few wrinkles. He seemed older than them, but instead of being dull eyes they seemed eager, spilling with a hope that he lost a long time ago… His short dirty black hair was tangled and for the first time he made out that this man's hands were rough because they were and both arms looked like they'd been horribly burnt, scorched and looked black and charred. His bony long, large fingers wrapped carefully around each ankle, black and reddened like he'd been in an explosion or a horrible fire, he was an average looking man, weird looking. His nose was wide and without a bridge, large flaring nostrils and light brown skin, he had a large head on his scrawny little body, thinner than possible and he seemed to have a hard time moving his hands… He couldn't have weighed more than eighty-three pounds at least, his legs were like chickens but he still held that same smile and a weird inner energy as he bounced on his toes. And his thick long neck held a small gold chocker around it, the woman turned towards him, leaning against Gord's shoulder as she sat, he feared she would crush him, but Gord smiled even wider than his large, wide mouth should allow.

"_Why_ did I ever allow _you_ to join _my_ team?"

"Told you before sexy…"

"You're a love muffin!"

"Yes _I am_!" his voice went deeper and he winked at her,

"Not really…"

"You could ask Joan, or Linda…or even what's her name? They'd tell you… I'm a stud", he said flexing his arms just making himself look sillier than possible.

"Little guy…biiiigggg ego… Your girls should know about your little…escapades back when you first started…something with being a fugitive and homeless…you were at a carrier wash for Pete sake!" He rolled his eyes, and turned towards Stork…

"It's not like I ever wanted to sleep on a bench, sometimes life just…I'm sick of you bringing that up…okay… You win…Star… Been in jail…a few times…is it a crime for being homeless…running away…"

"Gordon…I'm sorry", he flinched.

"It's Gord…just Gord…" he said a little too loudly.

"Do I need that duct tape?"

"Only after we had a first date…then we'll see…get some wine maybe…a little hanky-panky…then maybe some handcuffs…", he obviously wasn't listening to her now…

"Let's go before he starts trying to cope a feel. I shouldn't give him ideas…"

"Ummmm…your just jealous because I'm beautiful!", he purred leaning on her shoulder and reaching for her face, quick as a bunny he kissed her than he hugged her with a warm vibrant hug…then he buried his face into her chest…"I'm fine…I'll just stay right here…"

That's when she batted him, right in the mouth…then the head…he seemed okay…just dizzy.

'Casanova!"

"Angel", he purred at her again…then ducked…

"There…that should keep Mister Lover away from me for a while", right as her other boot went for his head.

"Owwww!"

"Wimp!"

A small woman with chin short dirty brown hair loosely whipped in the cold wind, framing a small delicate face pale and with light brown eyes, she was covered in sweat and she seemed to hold a rich energy in her step as she lightly steeped onto the deck of the Condor and grabbed her radio. Fingerless blue gloves covered her callused hands, lined with black dirt under every fingernail, one chipped and broken, another missing and part of one bit off.

"This is Abigail…we're ready for you…come on any time".

"Okay, we'll meet you there at the Broken's Gate, please make room for one injured…and another with a large ego…and a head the size of Mesa…"

"Roger…"

**A/N:** Sorry for changing the format, this flows better… Also next chapter will be up tomorrow I promise, it's titled Calvary! And yes Murdercrowther, here she is…and will be in the next chappie tomorrow, after work in the mourning! Yuck! Sorry if it was late, life and work…work and life…and strange guy's that are my friends!

A well, Gord belongs to me, and so does this strange girl…and the chef hat will be in this story!

**Gord: Say…any of you girls want a love muffin?**

** Me: Get off the radio Gordon…!**

**Gord: *Flinches as real name is used then ducks a flying shoe!**


	3. Cloud of Doom

**_Disclaimer: The Storm Hawks don't belong to me; they belong to the Nerd Corps and the song, 'The Bird and the Worm', belongs to The Used._**

**_It really fits our favorite paranoid bundle of nerves…oh yeah the Casanova Wannabe Gord belongs to me and so does Abigail! Sorry if this is so late, seriously I really haven't been feeling good lately, just got my life back in order! So please enjoy and review or PM me. Hope to hear from you guys and gals. And I got this cloud idea from Star Trek! Yeah! _**

_ 'Out of his mind away_

_ Pushes him whispering_

_ Must have been out of his mind_

_ Mid-day delusions of pushing this out of his head_

_ Maybe out of his mind'_

_I can't breathe…h..how'd they find me? How'd I know I'm not dreaming that dream again…maybe I've finally lost it? This is the work of a hypnosis crystal isn't it…and I'll wake up...open my eyes and see…what? _ His thoughts were jarred into reality…one with blinding light…but instead of the darkness casted by the rough jagged crystal of the caverns it was caused and sworn by the vagueness of the moon. Stars…yellow and pale, white and glittering through the firm of the night sky…he had never seen something so…he had no words. Jutting out like a breath of air gasping to be released…his lungs heaved slowly grasping at the clean, pure air… _The sky? It's so beautiful… _"Maybe we…should leave…now…before", before the voices broke and shattered the rest of his mind…they gripped at him…twisting his mind…gutting him. Of course 'she' would know he was gone by now…'she' was in his mind…through the connection by the rings… "We've gotta escape…please right now…" his voice broke again…this time throbbing and grating on his vocal cords. "Is that…the Gate…how'd you find it?"

"We found it through the use of a Zebus Hollows, there's an old ship down there that fell to the Reptors in the battle to save what was left of the free Atmos… As you can see they failed…but they did leave something…'she' was looking for it…" he felt himself shift with as little weight as possible, Gord at his head… _Stork…how'd we get you out of here? It's hollowed here…? There's the harbor…and Oh God… _The Gate stood over broken to rumble, crumbling moss spread through the brown and gold of the rusted cold metal…torn to pieces it seemed to be…humming? With the intensity she could feel through her mind…energy rippled along its outer edge…cold and purple and blood red…a gold leaking out through the gate's interior…? Capturing the few rays from the moon in its glow…throbbing and twisting and growing louder… Terrified she stepped back and tripped over where Gord held a hand to touch the Gate… _Don't touch it… _

All of a sudden the cool intensity of the broken gate flowed quickly, black clouds hovering over the moon; the gold glow touched and reached out, feeling with a tendril of darkness… The smell of acid and fire…sulfur…hissed and spat out of the depths of the Gate…she heard heavy, deep raspy coughing…no choking. Óh God…Gord! It spread out and folded into itself like it was living…a nightmare come to life… The Merb's face shook, his whole body shook and he dug his fingers into the ground…she heard whispering… Harsh…rough…words spoken?

_Useless, broken Merb…with no life left to hold on too now… No fight left…any will…only a filthy thing filled by the glimmer of hope… _"GAHHHHHH!" the Merb grabbed his head, aching and let forth a petrified scream of horror…

"Star look out", before she could move a tiny body ran into her, holding her down…barely covering her body…offering protection… _Oh Gods…Gordon… _He sighed heavily, looked back and made sure his back was against her body…his left arm covered with thick black scalded burns…he looked older in those few moments then his thirty years. "Star whatever you do…don't run…this is the _thing _she's been letting fed on us…" he held his gold chain in his right hand hard…gulped and pressed down. "Don't get up…don't get up…don't forget…don't get up", his voice was rasping and held in vain…he was scared. Him? "Don't be scared…it'll be okay…don't be scared…don't forget…she let it _fed _on _us_", he held that chain for dear life…and her…as it passed overhead seething angrily? Could a cloud get angry?

"Gordon get off of me!" she screamed in his ears, knocked him back…or tried.

"No…and it's Gord…okay!" he pressed harder, a fortification… The black tendrils raked his shoulder…showing the strange black burns and blood…he closed his eyes harder…held his breath half to death… It sucked up the blood! Hovering around the broken form of the Merb it leaped almost over him, dragged at his mind…closed in around him… Reeling through a broken form, one who couldn't stand 'her' winning with her monster… The scrawny from of a tiny man heaved off the woman, stood up and raced through the smog…a hopping run towards the Merbian's worn and tired figure…large bare feet scraped at the stone and tripped to gain a grip of even ground… With one arm he stood the taller man up…being less than his height it was harder than it looked, Gord panted and moved slowly his left arm hanging limp and lifeless. "Star get moving...NOW…!".

Somewhere the thing heard without ears…it gathered around the Gate…and bit down…right into Gord's chest touching Stork's arm…leaving a hissing mess of black and the sound of moaning cursed screams reeling in the air.

"STAR MOVE NOW….!" she ran for dear life beside two limping figures…cursed whispers filled her head…killed her hopes…and her dreams... "Don't listen…Star…it'll kill you…it'll steal your life…"

Before she could ask what he meant by 'it', Gord threw Stork at her, they ran…to a cliff by the Gate…

_Soul bound to soul…steal my life…back from you…take back what's mine… Soul bound to soul…broken earth…broken seas…broken skies…seek what's mine…hidden from my sight… Peace of heart…peace of mind…peace of soul… See into their mind's eye, one protects himself...scared and one is crazy...Atmos shall know our rule...our power...our hands... The crystal magic...will consume you...like it did me...us...any magic comes with a price...even Life magic...druidry...they're all linked together...there's always someone whose assigned to watch the watchers...always someone to watch and do their duty to defend the ones chosen... So who...which ones are you two...protecting? Which ones the chosen...? I know there's two girls...one boy...some men...a woman...where are they...their destined to release me...us... Watch them woman...they aren't who they say they are! _

"Don't listen to it…it lies…it always lies…" Stork's croaky cry filled the silence.

_Lies? Us? Now, now, Merb…we only want to be free…of this Gate…_

"Never, you can't touch us…you can't hurt us", Starling's voice held over the wind and rose to echo off the cliff's face, her blue cloak fluttered in the breeze and the black cloud wrapped around Gord and Stork, puckering black smoke hissing through Gord's clothes. Stork was left with ugly scars down his back, raking claws dipping into him, eating him…form the inside… "Stooooopppp", she only let out a whisper.

"No…more", Gord's tired eyes looked more exhausted …he gripped Starling's arm with his good one…and kicked Stork out of the way…the cloud bit into his leg…he slumped but rose trying to hold the thing off… The scrawny little guy closed his eyes…just as Starling grabbed him into her hands…and fled with Stork…

"Hello…Condor…Lightning Strike…Abby…anyone…there".

"Try the 5.9 station…" Gord heaved loudly into her ear, rasping for breath that he hoped he still had, if it was one thing Gord knew his radios. She turned the dial to hear jumbled voices…_thanks Atmos… _Gord grabbed the end of the receiver into his good hand, "Okay we need help now… Try the Broken's Gate near Merbia…it got out…now it's after us… No I don't care if I tried to hit on you that time and no I didn't stand you up, just get over here...please…it's _your_ little _Love Muffin_". Sighing he clung to it like it was his savior, before Starling running gave him a dirty look. "Fine…I'll give you a neck massage and a foot rub…fine…yes…okay… Forgot we're I left that, sorry? And you'll heave me into that small closet again and keep me there…okay but make sure it's dark enough…" sighing Starling grabbed at the radio, Gord gave her a sheepish look in apology…

"Look we're in trouble, need help now…and little Mister…" she gave him an exhausted look, "_lover, _will be on board with a passenger okay!"

A horn sounded, louder and louder till the blue and faded colors of brown of the _Condor_ appeared, three skimmers and a bike with wings flew out and circled the beast for a moment, before they dipped down and took each one by the arm and into the ship's deck.

A man with bright, flaming red hair stepped out of the shadows with a very young baby held in his arms, his brown eyes sparked with determination and trust…and warmth…a strength of a true Skynight then he bowed, "Starling long time no see, who're they".

A small woman with dirty chopped brown hair, broken nails that looked chipped and frayed and bit off stood next to Gord, smiling a wide grin gently before hitting him in the face, "That's for last time okay", he stood there hiding his pain and rubbing his left arm…

"Owwww!"

"Wussy! Now who's the carry on…" Abigail inspected the skinny form of the Merb, gave him a hand and leaned him against her…noticing his lack of clothes…or anything…

"Ehehe", the man giggled clumsily, embarrassed by the attention…he felt rather naked in the lime light…

"Now, who is this…and find him some clothes could ya… By the way I'm Lightning Strike and these are the Storm Hawks".

"First we need some first aid…a doctor? Now where's Ace…?" Abigail dashed for the lockers pulling out a boy of fourteen, with blood red eyes…and dark black hair. He frowned, turned his pale face to the pilot, his dark eyebrows raised then he stormed off in the direction of his room. Watching the strange cloud with fear that seemed uncommon to the young man and a strange feeling retched in his heavy heart… He watched as it fluttered close by…dangerously close…

_Why was it talking to me? What are the Watchers…? Who are they, the one who protects himself and scared…and the other is crazy? Who's chosen? Two girls…some men…a boy… _Starling pulled her cloak around her, gazing at the Merb as he went down the hall…_I can't trust either of you two…can I? _Her eyes shone with distrust… In the back, where no one was watching, Gord took out a black crystal…fiddling with his pockets he pulled out a map. Scuffling down the dusty hall of the ship he came to a room, he pushed close the door and sat at the little blue desk in front of him… The old torn paper showed not Atmos but an older Atmos before...before the Skynights…showing eight gates covered in ruins that he read carefully…with some glasses. Taking out a small black crystal, he held it close to his face and breathed into the some…Life magic flowed and glowed into his hands and went into the crystal. A stone of protection, a stone of defense, a stone that would protect her from what he had to do before it came to an end…

"Finally Star…I can get my rest".

**A/N: **Now some action finally, bout time too…people getting bored Grey… Dark Ace makes his appearance, oh, yeah and baby Aerrow! So Murder, what ya think…changed pace…changed foreshadowing… Creepy clouds of doom… Now the Chapter 4, up soon…there`s a deep connection to the Binding and that cloud…said to much! R&R please, I've got sandwiches…and cake! And Gord will be restrained for this…too! I hope… *little escapist*

**Gord: Hello girls…miss me…your little…****_Love doctor is here! I`m giving out autographs now…come on…how about a little kiss… _****A pat…a wet kiss… How 'bout you, angel? *purrs***

**Starling: No…. I don`t…I really don't?**

**Gord: Why do I put up with you sometimes?**

**Me: Cause you love me!**

**Both: Stay out of this…**

**Me: Okay….walks away angrily…**


	4. Gord Healing

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Storm Hawks they belong to Nerd Corps. The song, 'Get Out Alive', belongs to The Band Of Awesomeness Three Days Grace. Gord and Abigail just belong to me! **

'_No time for goodbye he said as he faded away_

_Don't put your life in someone's hands_

_They're bound to steal it away_

_Don't hide your mistakes_

_'Cause they'll find you, burn you, then he said'_

"How is he?" Abigail sat by the door watching the tired form of the Merb twitching in his sleep, she watched as his back rose slow and steady like his heartbeat…he barely got up the in last two days falling asleep in her arms failing to see anything around him… They finally got his to sleep with use of a hypnosis crystal…he freaked out and tried to run… "Don't Merbs heal faster than us?" _Gods…who would do this?_

Gord sat along the wall beside her, he should have been in the bed beside Stork…his eyes closed tight, the bags underneath his eyes more drawn in and the wrinkles seemed to be more…pronounced. His eyes twitched slightly, both of them had stopped screaming into the night…Stork wrapped in blankets, he shivered in the cold and the little guy just slept curled up by the wall. Stork shifted, sighing and turned over…his eyes closed, then he shot up wincing, he looked down but didn't see the blankets in front of him…he saw 'things' after him…crawling on him. Burning…he was burning…they were burning… _Broken…Failing…Forgotten…Merb… Melancholic…Eaten…they're both eaten up… He's in no shape to defend himself…and the others of no size…just on the dinner menu… _

Abigail grasped his hands in hers…he quivered and shook refusing to let her touch him… Cold…his back ached with pain; sharp pain rocked his body…

"Get Out…get out", he whispered to no one, "Get out of my head…_make the voice_ _stop…please…_"

"What's happening in here", Lightning Strike stood clad in half his armor, his hair in tangles, she smiled at the sight but turned towards the now slumbering Merb, his chest heaving in peace and content, his face held frozen in pain… His back stood slumped, not straightening, holding him awkwardly over the sheets…

_He was running…get away…got to move…running for the light…his eyes on the horizon…just running… His feet failing to catch him…he was so cold… Then his world went black… And he was held fast…_

She watched his breath fall into a rhythm, the dirty face lined with worry and grief… His legs wrapped up in white cloth, his chest in brown bandages covering the deep scars.

_Fire…he was on fire…it ate at his arms…at his clothes…his shirt eaten in a matter of seconds… He was scared… Black things floated towards him, a green stone shone in the distance… He gasped…his air filtered… _

She lay down at his side…watching his face…clearly he was dreaming again…that was good?

_Floating…he couldn't feel his ears…he couldn't hear anything…just silence… His world went up in red…and he was falling…heart in his hand…falling… Doomed, doomed…some body help him… Red…and black… Someone stop him!_

She looked out into the hallway; somebody was missing now…she heard screaming…someone screaming in their sleep…a loud raspy voice yelling.

She ran, feet pounding metal hard down the corridor, down the labs…through the little garden…reaching a small closet… She found a little form cuddled on a small brown couch with a little quilt on him. His face covered in little black hairs, a rough beard starting, she pulled off the blanket and found Gord curled up in a ball holding his hands. He didn't live here but his mail littered the floor, his old newspapers…loose change and old mouldy food spread on plates that he never touched…she shook her head. His arms looking eaten…damaged…bone showing… Laying in his boxers and nothing else …he opened his eyes and run a hand through his hair.

"Well welcome to the land of the living, 'bout time you woke up…you want your square eggs over easy?"

He grabbed some goggles and put them on his face, his chicken legs sliding off the bed uneasily…his left leg all torn up…eaten up and he gazed at her with a lopsided smile, "The chickens aren't even up yet! I HATE mourning's…they're so hard on me!" He stood up and stretched his chest was pretty muscled but she couldn't resist.

"Ehehehehe, Stop that… I'm ticklish…stop…your grounded girly… Not the arm pits… That's not fair…" his hyena laugh filled the hallway.

She laid her hands on his stomach… He rolled with laughter…finally she desisted and he breathed hard… "Not my fault…I know your weakness", she smiled.

"I know…so does everyone else…also that I think I forgot my pants…"

"You look exhausted…" he did, his eyes were closed and his face looked scraggly and scruffy, he struggled into a shirt, a loud purple thing that was dark and some pants… Slipping his feet into his large black steel-toed boots, and carefully and slowly toed the laces.

"Yeah had a rough night", she found something on his coffee table, several pairs of keys, his safety glasses as he slipped on his choker and a small necklace of gold.

"How so? Nightmares, that dream with you running away from…"

"No…about a fire…being eaten alive…getting trapped…couldn't move…red and black…just like my wounds…" Gord gazed at her, she noticed his choker glowing in the dark.

"Stork was screaming about that…" he's had it too…weird…

_Tired…losing energy…losing it…need to get a hold on the world…it's like when I had that addiction… I gave that up…never ever again… He was running, that weird little run of his…losing ground…_

Gord blinked his eyes dry…filling tears slip down his face… He saw his world get _fuzzy_… His left finger looked crushed…mangled in front of him…he put it in his mouth…

_They're leaving you…they always do…need to run…he hit the ground…surrounded by flames…hissed and popped…acid dripping down from a hungry maw… His world went black…his mind reeled…tired, his choker glowed…_

His necklace started to glow in the darkness…his nose started to bleed…his eyes opened and he tried not to let her see him cry…

_Floating…his ears closed around him…he saw the fire…the beast came closer…the dragon…the thing…biting hard… Acid ran along his arms…he cried out in pain…holding onto steel…? Metal grated underneath sore feet…he was running…again…thinking hard…he didn't turn back…his bangs in his face… Mangled mess that were his hands and arms and leg… He was stuck… Sinking fast… Nowhere to run…_

She noticed he didn't look at her, he seemed far away… _Help me!_

_Got her little protector, too small to defend himself…out of his depth… _

He gazed with lifeless eyes the choker glowing brighter in hers…soon she saw it shine and so did the other…

_Help me! I'm falling… I know what that's like… I fell before…and never stopped…I'm afraid of falling… I'm afraid to go back…help me! I'm scared is that what you want! Answer me…is that what you want…you want my life…theirs? You can have me…but you're not getting their lives too… I want to have peace…_

_We need to get out alive… Run for your life… _On his chest she saw him finger the burn marks, reaching for his choker he failed to touch it, his eyes glowed purple when they opened…and his nose bleed worse...

_Open up…already…let me in… I was a fugitive…okay… I miss my mother…GET OUT OF MY HEAD… _

She saw the faint hint of him fighting…struggling…he had a hand on his choker…it shone brighter…then he woke up… And he screamed… Abigail grabbed the choker…and fell in with him…

_She saw him, curdled up he didn't look injured in his own head…he looked younger…and scared…and bleeding…something over him…eating him…through him… He looked more muscled slightly and his clothes were tattered, he had a green cloth tied in his hair, keeping it out of his eyes… He gazed at her with his tired eyes… Fighting off the monster with a knife…just lying there…helpless…the image just shook her…and she felt helpless, she'd never seen him like this… It was a side of himself he allowed no one to see… _

_Straight away she knew this was not just a nightmare…it was his reality…those dreams fading on the edge of both their minds, grieving them… Along the edge of their own personal hell that were their own horrors…feeding off of paranoid minds… Steel bars blocking their way to move, both him and the Merb, stuck fighting an internal hell… Holding Gord's hand… she fell in… _

_**He's sensitive…your fears are mine…he'll live getting…dying…losing… **_

_Nooooooo…she was in Gord's head…within his heart…. his fears… She found herself falling…into the flames…then a burst of green filled her eyes… Gord lay in the distance…struggling…holding fast…falling_

_Gord lay there almost torn apart…his face burnt…terribly…in his mind…his chest a mess…a glint of silver…in his mouth…he has metal in his body…?_

_Gordon…Gordon…wake up…it's just a nightmare…how much did it take from you?_

Dark chocolate brown eyes opened…and light ones…she was free…but Gord wasn't… He seemed even more withdrawn, sitting there with his choker in his hands…he opened his mouth and she saw silver… Metal to counteract the…? Magic…beast…terrors… Help him fight…just like Stork…he has silver hoop earrings…Gord has metal in his body… "Green stone…"

'For healing…myself…look at me…" he shook his head…, "I'm a mess…".

"Yes you are…"

"This is where you say…, 'Are you grouchy?', Green stones are good for plants…mine are all dead…"

"You can't sleep…not really…"

"Not really… What did you do? See this", he pointed to his mouth, at the silver, "Lost the bottom half of my teeth…these are false…"

"You know when you stop the Casanova act, you're kind of sweet", he smiled a sad smile at her, "Are you dying?"

"No…just…trying to save someone…" gold light shone again…Gord looked weary…

"What is that?"

"That's my life force…it's coming undone… It's to prevent magic from me…doesn't stop it though…"

"Can _you _heal the Merb?"

'Kinda…keeps spiritual 'things' away…Witch's pets…"

"So…want to stay up with me? Have some coca?"

"Sure…but I _need _coffee", with that they went off for the kitchen, as brown smoke hit the windows outside and a recoiling laugh sounded and shook the thunderheads.

It rolled back towards its source, a lone figure gazing out into the ships interior, cloaked in purple with long black hair, older than the ship itself… Gazing out into the little scene, watching the women and the other's small defender with a glint of madness…of anticipation…

Her pet would finish them off…playing with its food…driving them out of their minds while she preyed on the others… She heard a voice in the back of her mind,_ No you'll not be freed…not now…I'm in control… Just tell me…where the Gate is…_

_The voice lingered but quieted, fading back into her thoughts….sealed off from the world…trapped in her… _

_The little one can tell me what he's protecting …I'll break them down…there's no use fighting me… He's out of his depth… They both are…him and the Merb…they can't fight for long…_

_He was falling…red and black…chain glowing in the damp light of his mind…trapped in the thick of her web…he struggled…fought hard… His thoughts still lingered in hers…she heard him…falling…falling… Can't keep me out for long…!_

_**Thanks for Murdercrowther for looking at this story…fixing it up… Being my beta…you rock! Thank all of you…for your love and awesomeness! **_


	5. Fun

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Storm Hawks they belong to Nerd Corps, and the song 'D.O.A.' belongs to the band started by Dave Goelz, 'Foo Fighters'. If you're wondering these songs do have a meaning to every chapter, to one character or another… This chapter is much lighter, to counteract the **_**'darker' **_**more intense chapter before, personally though, I LOVED writing this, anyway Gord and Abigail belong to me.**

'_Oh you know I did it_

_It's over and I feel fine_

_Nothing you could say is gonna change my mind_

_Waited and I waited the longest night_

_Nothing like the taste to sweet decline_

_I went down, I fell, and I fell so fast_

_Dropping like the grains in an hourglass_

_Never say forever cause nothing last_

_Dancing with the bones of my buried past'_

Five days…five days of endlessly circling the most annoying Terra he ever had the misfortune to have ever laid his tired eyes on…Terra Neon. Five days of 'trying to hide', only to be dragged and roped into their 'special mission', by Gord non the less, into the whirl pool of colors, and bright lights to make him blind, and if that weren't bad enough… Gord was singing…you heard him…singing…off key and out of tune…

"Oh, I'm singing in the rain…yeah I'm singing in the rain… Oh, whhhhhattttt a beautiful feeeeellllling…", Stork, who already had flame corn bags stuffed into his ears, Lightning Strike trying hard to smile…and failing…clenched his teeth and placed his hands over his poor unprotected ears…it was a well-known fact that Gord's 'singing' was banned on over four hundred Terra's.

"Please someone, anyone make him stop… It sounds like a chicken gargling and screeching at the same time". Gord at this point was dancing around a pole like he'd seen in the movie…Abigail swore that she would _kill _the person who gave him that movie…with her bare hands. "GORDON…knock it off!" He twirled carefully around the pole slower, grabbed her by the waist…and danced with her…much to Kaya's and Lightning's amusement.

"I hate you, you know", he smiled up at her with that lopsided smile of his, growing wider…and wider… "Have you guys seen Palms anywhere, old Bentley anywhere, he can take my little _problem _away…and tie him to a pole", she gave her 'partner' an exhausted look; he just smiled wider…and dodged her backhand…A little too late…

He tried to hide as he rubbed the very black bruise he sported underneath the other two; his arm throbbed already making the pain in his arms worse… "Owwww", he rubbed his head, and spotted Palms talking to Ace near the costume tent…he had an idea…

"He's such a wuss...can't take the awesomeness that is Abby Flicher…haha…I won…oh yeah… I won…", Stork gave her a deadpanned look, one of exasperation and winced as she punched him…

"So this is _fun…_" Kaya and Lightning smiled…making him scowl larger, he gave them his best death glare he could…wishing they'd leave him be…or the ground would swallow him…or…

"C'mon Storky lighten up, smile for meee", his mouth twisted uncomfortably at the corners, crookedly he forced his face to move upwards…he managed to hold it in the most pained…and the best description for this is…pained and unnatural thing they had ever seen, even from Ace, this…

"That looks like the time Palms put worms down Ace's pants…or Palmer's look after he got him back…he reallllly doesn't like mourning's does he?"

"Especially if it involves the use of canned peppers, a make-over and some icers…oh yeah and a fire worm…" Kaya gagged, she could see his face now.

"There I smiled, can I go now?" he stood watching the varies people milling around, touching him…close to him…near him… "Their _uh_ touching me! Uh…" _who knows where those clowns are? _

"You know your wayyyy too much of a party pooper…hey have you guys seen Gord around?" That was probably one question she really didn't want to know…at this second! For a very odd looking…uh…thing came up towards her, small and quick…right at her heels. Stork jumped and dove and hid behind her and Kaya, _what a chicken! _Lightning held his energy-swords at the ready…and Kaya her staff, 'it' jumped suddenly too close for comfort at her…laughing like a hyena…loudly…

'It' was covered in short blue feathery-like fur, dark; hiding its tattered clothes in blood…sharp pointed teeth rattled out of its hissing mouth into hers…she could smell flame-corn and hot dogs on its breath…and coffee…lots of coffee. It's eyes were covered in yellow bugged out, tired looking eyes, sinking into its head and a long nose that curled under its mouth like a beak…and a long spiked tail covered in black stings lunging for her head… Abigail grabbed 'it' by its furry large head, shook it upside down till it made a gagging noise… Swung the monster around her, at arm's length, and then tossed it to the ground onto its bum.

"We'd better toss a few fire bolts at 'im, make him nice and crispy…it's always good to boil those annoying Halfling's, they taste better that way", the…uh…thing just grabbed his head and groaned, making off with the yellow eyes it glared at her…

"I'm not a Halfling…stop playing so much D&D, maybe I am… Hehheh, what gave me away?"

"The coffee breathe for one, and the fact that you used that costume last year to fool Bents, anyways let's go see what Twiddle Dee and Dumb are talking about?" Gord got up roughly, gave her a look, made his way over to the duo over by the hot dog stands.

"Damn, I_ need _to try_ a lot _harder to get that one…" he grabbed the fur off his arm, and winced…"Glued this…bad idea".

"Try a lot harder…and don't try to sneak into my stash of cookies anymore!"

"I hate sweets…I'm _sweet _enough already!" he beamed and got promptly hit hard…again. "Owww, will you stop that…I'm my favorite colors now…black, blue and purple".

"Then…BENTLY…PALMS…", the large guy talking to Ace stopped in his tracks loomed down at her, and grinned, his dark brown eyes shining with that obnoxious tell-tail sign of amusement…_bugger! _He hulked over everyone including the Merb, he stood roughly seven feet, give or take a few inches dwarfing everyone…Gord leaned on his leg…pulling at the blue fur…with his teeth. They called him Palmer, or Palms for short…he gave her a toothy grin and bent over far enough to stare her in the face, his braided black hair worn loose, reaching down his back. His good eye, his right sparkled with humor, the other, his left covered by a striped cloth, and his left ear torn.

"I took them…they were frankly disgusting…", Gord continued to hack off the fur, a thick patch landing on his nose, Stork grabbed at it and helped…only for Gord to fall forward and land on his face.

"Hey, you two…big ones…down here…help?"

"Well…glad you enjoyed them then, men..." they all eyed her, "Hey, short stuff how's the derriere down there?"

"Uhhhhh…this is gross…who farted… I think it got in my mouth".

"Sorry, forgot to warn you!" they all stared at Ace.

"Now…if you excuse me… I'm washing my mouth and my tongue out…with soap…and mouth wash…and maybe some tooth paste… What the hell did you eat?"

"Oh, beans…thought I'd get him there…for this morning's wakeup call!"

"Usually it's me full of beans!" Gord laughed, he laughed more as fingers found his weak spot…"Stoppppp…ittt….already…"

"Say Uncle…"

"Uncle…Aunt…people I call my friends…" Stork just watched, shaking his head…_looks like I'm stuck with these…weirdoes…maybe it's not too late to write my will…_

_**Later, on the Condor**_

Abigail glided down the hallway, worried, she bite her fingernail off, leaving another gone…Stork was staring at the stars on the deck, Ace was…finally sleeping…Kaya and Strike went off to Terra Rex, to try to talk to Harrier about if he knew about the Witch's plans or not…the Cyclonian's had been cycling around the Terra or a few hours. And Palmer was taking the trash out…for her…hehe. Abigail came to Gord's…closet...her bare feet scraped against the bare floor…Gord sat on his bed…uh…couch. A small couch with a blanket draped on his lap, leaning over the coffee table, which again was full of half-eaten food, and empty mugs and…she felt someone breathing down her neck…

"Oh for Pete sakes Palms, stop that", nut to her surprise it was Stork, looking weary and tired… "Oh hi, sorry for that…he's so…like an older brother always watching over me…you know?"

"No, not really…never had any older sibling's…!"

"Really, had any younger ones?"

"Yeah…I had a sister…her name was Seren…she uh…died when she was…uh…huh…she would have been five! You?"

"Two twin brothers, older…and a younger…two of 'em up in the academy now…in the resistance...younger one…he's helping up in the Netherlands…" She moved away from him, he was way too close for comfort; she peered into the room again.

"Who are watching?" it was a simple question, one needing of an answer. She shivered and sat by the wall; drawing in her toes…he stood gazing at her with an inquisitive look…

"Just him…he's…Gord… He's been in a lot of pain lately…hasn't gone home…yet", Stork heaved a sigh, and sat with his legs out and in his boxers and black t-shirt his legs looked longer then natural…in the lamp-light…

"Home?"

"Yeah…a place where your family is…your safety…"

"Haven't seen anything but red skies, and torture for the last few years", he sighed again…and scratched his forearm, "It's kinda drafty in here tonight…"

"Here's a secret…wear pants…nice legs though…", he looked shocked at that, covered his legs with his arms and giggled nervously like a teenager.

"Yeah…Duh!".

"Nice underwear…skulls and crossbones huh?" *giggle*

"Duh!"

"Can anyone join, or just the ones who aren't wearing any pants…because I frankly forget mine…a lot!"

"And to zip up your fly after you leaves the bathroom", Gord looked down and sure enough his fly was opened.

"The ferret cometh…or is it the Chicken man…?"

"Hey…I like chicks…of the female variety…the taller ladies…" he sat down next to her, laid his hand on her cheek and lay his blanket over her.

"Get off…don't start that again…we dated for three days…"

"Don't remind me…three days I'll always… Uhhhhh…" he winced and drew into himself, his eyes squeezed tight. She took him in her arms, as he shook hard, grasping at his face with clawed hands…his loud voice failing to sound… He coughed and blood came out, he hid his hand from her…

"Gord…show me…" he pulled his hand away; his chest hurt…the magic was taking him… "Gordon do I HAVE TO USE _EXTEME FORCE", _he strained and showed her.

"I know first aid…"

"For him…it'll be the worst aid…he's just getting sicker…I'm…!"

"I'm tired…got to get up…"

"Gord…lay down…please…I'll get a healer…"

"I got him…what's wrong…"

"Six days ago…he had a dream…he's been…sicker…"

"I'm okay…I'll just lie down…just sleep"

They left towards the radio, while he sat up, coughed some more…he grabbed the medicine off the table; spread it along his chest, wincing… He felt the burnt, eaten skin along his leg, his eyes watering, hoping they didn't call someone…he was losing time… He had never felt more alive this morning…how quickly his life seemed to go… He took up one of the several stuffed animals along his couch and smiled, some bears, a mouse, a dog…all wearing ridiculous hats… He was only thirty-five, it wasn't time already…it couldn't be up….not now…he wasn't done…he wasn't finished trying to find her…protecting the other one…. "The ones watching the watchers, funny how their looking at the ones who're bigger…not the smaller ones…" _everyone's too busy watching everybody else; they never ever notice the little guys…not until it's too late…_

_I just want to make it…until I find the other girl… Dammit mind…work…why is everything so…warped…its eating me…faster than I can take… Starling…I'm not done protecting you…find the gate…keep it from being opened…find the girl, Gord… She'll be wearing a crystal around her neck…from her protector…she'll be passed down to me…to watch over. I'm trying…I need help… I'm no good at this…I choose the wrong path… My past isn't one of glory, can't let her down now… I've wasted too much time already…_

_I just hope I don't go down before you show up…_his eyes closed and a white light shone form them, _the Magi…Palmer should be able to help… I wish this would stop eating me…it's like cancer…but slower…_

_Wait for me Star… I'm coming… The stupid little Halfling is coming…with magic…never told you I'm one of them… _

His eyes glowed as Stork walked in, the light froze and gone…he was…

"Oh my God…he's a Magi".

**A/N: I noticed Gord's popular, isn't he? He's a Halfling, half human. Palmer also belongs to me…and his weirdness and humor… How does Stork know what he is…? But duh, duh, duh! Cliffhanger!**


	6. Sensibilities

_**Disclaimer: I still don't own the Storm Hawks, they belong to Nerd Corps and the song, 'Pain', belongs to Three Days Grace.**_

'_Pain, without love_

_Pain, I can't get enough_

_Pain, I like it rough_

_'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all_

_You're sick of feeling numb_

_You're not the only one_

_I'll take you by the hand_

_And I'll show you a world that you can understand'_

Voices, clawing against his own battered defenses, fighting the headaches and guilt stammering against his mind, he was sick of feeling nothing…nothing but pain… It felt like his mind was being ripped apart, hearing whispers louder and louder till they all mingled together, till they were yelling… Quiet, would be a blessing now, he had always loved the silence…how couldn't he…it was peaceful…golden…at least better than this…tearing at him…endlessly. At least he was on the _Condor, _not there…but he had to admit it did feel homey, time wasn't a thing he was aware of anymore…he just knew. Was he crazy or just a plaything for her…little mind games…weren't out of her style?

He just didn't understand…why was he so important…he was just one broken Merb, clean now…the meanings of fight taking and broken from him… It wasn't like he wanted to stand doing nothing…being useless…he _hated _being useless…he didn't hate her…for hating someone just turns you into them. Maybe being clean just came naturally, after all he stood there, chained in his own mess…it's hard to forget what it's like to starve…to be hurt… Your body remembers…Merb's have a photographic memory, he trained his…to keep her out…by her…he meant the Grandmother.

He was tired of fighting…he just wanted a rest…but now seeing the vague white light…faint…very faint…close out of Gord's eye…he knew what he was… _Where have I heard it…? I've seen this before…but? _His mind blocked with thoughts of keeping 'it' out of his head…her… The Magi…what was one doing here…where he come from…? He rested along the folding of the steel wall, grasping at the handle; he worked hard…hey he'd learned how to be a mechanic…from always playing with things as a child… To being made to ix things as a teenager, he only was eighteen now…

Slow scrapping footsteps padded along the cold metal, biting cold…he made damn sure to keep his back covered at all times…no one seeing anymore of his scars… It was time to get to work…find out where that stupid second gate was…he needed time…he needed resources…he needed space… He needed a break…he needed to check up on them…funny how he'd grew fond of them all…even Bentley… Especially of a certain pilot, they'd taken him in…taught him some stuff already in the last few days…he was to be her apprentice… He had always loved the _Condor_, now he was home…

_Little ones a Magi, haven't been around since…? Need to find the maps…maybe the labs…no she'll be in there… Maybe the blacksmith's…no checked there… _Maybe if he'd look closer, maybe it was just in front of his nose… The game is…cat and mouse… I'm hoping I'm not the mouse…

_I can take the pain, made me stronger… I'm not a fighter… _"Gah!" he was startled from his thoughts, coming to a halt when he nearly ran into Ace… He placed a hand over his heart and blow in relief…he hadn't had a heart attack…

"Uh..Uh…try w..warning..someone next..t..time uh…your…uh..there..", he stuttered breathlessly, the black haired lad, his almost black eyes narrowed.

The co-pilot stood there hands near his sides, shaking… "Oh, sorry…watch it next time", he rudely bumped into him, running off towards his own bike, muttering to himself. The lad brushed up against the cool black metal of his own bike, roughly whipped together out of scrap metal, red and black…and fast as the wind. Stork watched as the younger teen raced off, speeding through the air like he was part of it.

**Somewhere in Terra Merbia**

**Underneath in the winding paths of the caverns**

"Care, take it slowly, don't want to lose any…slaves….help is _so_ hard to find. They making progress?" the older woman, lips curled into a vicious scowl, her soft hands delicately wrapped along her crystal staff, a carved lion at its hand…a talon at the bottom…a claw, jagged and cruel.

"No Mistress, we hardly found any sign of anything, just the left over reminders of homes, broken little pockets of creatures…they've hardly scrapped the surface…"

"Keep looking, till the last breath of every slave down there is taken, no one stops… I must find it…soon…", lightning cackled close to her, lighting her long and very chilling face, her dark eyes lurking underneath furrowed brows, bushy, shallow…glaring…

"These Merbs are useless…pathetic…they'd break before sunup…"

"Then hurry…we must free them, I haven't been searching for twenty years for nothing", underneath the hood her face drew in, Merbian's adults, parents…once…children…older and broken searched on worn and scared, scratched feet while the wind whistled and moaned, whipping them harder than the Merbian whips biting their backs. Dead and lifeless, each of their eyes…staring off into the vast tunnel works underneath the huge Terra,leading and winding down into the Merbian Underfilch.

She knew from the information she remembered and found…_her way…_the second of the Gates, called by the ancient of the people here, she knew the legends that no one bothered to believe, the forgotten, and unforgiven Hith Ring Gate or by the Merbians…The Forgotten, where she could speak Merb. _Lost underneath the very stone and earth, locked away from the world for longer than hundreds of decades, years… Once again found by one of the Binding…this one should open…again… _

"Mistress, Madam…they've found _something_ down there, something's guarding a large cave down there… It's killing most of the slaves…" She rushed through down the intricate network of tunnels towards the crusading feeling of energy cackling at her fingertips. Teleporting, she arrived just moments after…the thing awoken, it's Guardian, a silver statue the size of a large house standing patiently. It was rot with iron and varies of metals, energy, licking through its huge and powerful frame, there stood another by the entrance…and it was moving…

Slowly without even blinking the statue, this one of a huge stone worn angel coming straight for her throat, clawed hands, blackened wings folded down and stabbing into her shoulder. The earthy thing's face, she could make out large fangs appearing…apparently it was more…alive…_ Good, something to work with… Flesh can be molded to my designs… _The giant started with a reeving hum, like a roar going off…setting…off an explosion the size of itself… The angel melted into the shadows, taking the game into its own surf.

The giant saw her with redden eyes, the angel swiftly flew grasping her forearm, feeling her own energy being leeching out…feeding the thing… Giant, silver and bronze, copper and blackened wrought damaged the ground around her, shaking the foundations of the large caverns…

Alive, gone and disappearing…it gleamed…biting hard…falling… _Oh no, you don't…I don't fall… Spirits can be taken; binded down and broken…tattered… _

Pure, green energy, purple flashed through the redden eyes…and the maddened ones of the old Witch…pain flashed through those eyes… _Little one…why open the Gate…? What's in this for you…little one…? Leave this place, it's old…older than one of your race…woman leave this place… Make no peace with one such as you… Leave… _The stone pressed into her, holding her within its silvery clutches…ghostly white of its face, pale red it glowed…an iron golem…

_Whhhyyyyy… _"Whhhhyyy…make…" she was startled by the whisper of the wind, coming from the male angel…it's body made out of marble…it's stone face stilled in frozen agony… _Lost my reallll body…to it longgg ago… It ate through…my defenses…who are one who knows the bindingssss of the Gates… You have the powerrr…of the…_

_Little one…desist… No mercy shall fall on you now if you choose unwisely; we have dealt with one of your kind before…they sealed the Gates… They bound them away…see…hear… Me… Hear my voce for the last time little woman…ancient…one… They lost their lives binding them, they stole away the forms…we are the last souls bound still…to nothing… We're lost…we want peace…all the Magi want peace…so please… Desist…please… _Its eyes flared once, glowing and slowly gold poured forth and she heard the humming, throbbing of him… The lights of his eyes flared to blue...

_Mercy is for the weak…golem… Not for the living…but the dead… _He felt the bite of her staff in his side, tearing his soul held within him, his eyes glowed redder…the flared…open…like he was blinking… _And your lives are mine, puny stupid…human?_

_Not that any more…any more…never again… Just a piece of the earth…little woman…please show mercy…this body grows weak… Please…Gallows…take up your arms now… Rest later…kill now… She's to stop our rest…_

_Hissssss… Stop this madness…before we begin…fight with honor…little woman… I have a name…he needs one… I was once Gallows of the Jade Glaciers, now it's time for mercy…of a fallen angel… Blackened hearts…blackened wings…darkened heart… Please little woman, peace is no longer…an option…_

Gallows flew above, wings spread, two others tucked underneath, his dark eyes opened to relieve…black soulless things peering up at hers… A grey mane appeared where once marble stood hair long and worn in a ponytail, two sticks long and pointed sticking out… Black robes fluttered underneath his feet, not stone…not marble…but flesh… Fingers clawed fangs out leering… No…he was nothing…but alive… Jagged crack ran along his face, purple energy swarmed out…red lighting cackled around Gallows's hands…running down his whole body… _We are the gateway vessel… I am the first of two trails… This is not mercy woman…as rock is unyielding…earth is forever changing… Earth beats…the energy changed to green…dark green and his eyes glowed with green… _

_Ah, water beats earth…for its forever moving…ever seeping through rock, cracking it at its hardened and grounded base… Wearing, tearing at it…to make it into a new shape… _

The stone giant bit hard against the power she held against him, she felt something in him…his soul…she bound it… _You're a human…in there? _

_No I was a human…a Magi…maybe you've heard of them little one… My name was taken from me…little woman…_

_You're human…ah…_

Angel of the shadows, hider, made marble again…stuck in the permanent dark, its dark eyes stone…a wall…it bit again, this time into her hand… The angel folded curved wings…feathers burnt off… Then she released, the energy broke him in two… "Now, now…play nicely…"

_Little one please let me rest…leave me be… Get away…_red flooded out…blue took hold…_ Help…me…little one… One trail is over…the last…is not for you… Leave now…_

_I shall name you…_

_Growl, I am not yours…or like you… I hate the things you stand for… I HATE the things you do…you choose…its sick… My name is not for you to speak… The Hith Ring will not open for you… It has to be opened…by the namer… Little WITCH…leave me be…_ Wind blew her, out away from him, as he closed his arms and his eyes… _LEAVE ME BE… My will is stronger…little woman…GO AWAY…!_

The walls closed in, she couldn't get in… His eyes…closed and he rested…he needed help…he was weaker…his face held in frozen wonder…

_Little woman… Power does not give everything…when it's two wills against each other…something has to give…_ _ I am not stone…nor can you break me…little one… Nor hold me…_

Sensibilities, his lost energy held…he needed that name…he held a purpose… _Please namer come soon, I need you… Give me a new purpose… Before she comes, I cannot move from here…Keepers find her… Magi can live…but I cannot longer…for I'm not alive…I'm metal now…_

Somewhere else, the eyes of a baby opened; orange and held within the arms of a young proud woman… The baby opened its mouth…its first words forming… "Gah…goo…Olaf…" The mother looked confused. Holding a small craven wooden doll with red eyes, she pointed to it and again said, "Olaf".

Red eyes opened, smiled the metal giant rocked back on his feet, _I know you're out there…and you're like her…more than you know little one… _

_He was clean, he wasn't dirty or disgusting…or lost…he was felt in the heart of a child…he had been a parent…he had lived a life…long time ago… Loving the clean crisp air he used to smell…he loved to feel summer's heat…on his skin…his old name… He remembered...reading…feeling…pains…hurts…loves… _

_Olaf…_

**Somewhere in the Condor…on the bridge, near the kitchen…**

It was happening faster than he thought possible, they all felt it, held within them…their names…given by the namer…the one who they watched… Books lay scattered over the table, his rough hands folded the paper slowly, carefully, littered maps…things drawn by a steady hand… It was happening, magic just happened…without really a reason… They were human…losing their lives to the magic…

"You're like a fennec, you know that… Full of energy, playful little thing that has a barking laugh, shy…", he smiled at her with beaming eyes…life filled them…

"What happened last night…with the coughing…?"

"Ah, hehheh, had a hard time with the… Heheh, I woke up spiralled on the floor, I feel like a million bucks…weenie…"

"You are a little weenie aren't you", he gave her the tongue, "Don't make me kick you!"

"Abigail…could we talk…please…?"

"Okay…? But why…! What did you do this time, pick the lock on the _Condor's _coffee stash…you're a little too nimble with those fingers of yours".

"Nah…just need to talk…" Gord removed his goggles on his face, "Also where's Stork, got to talk to him".

"He's by the helm again…"

"Hehehe, race you towards the helm…"

"You little ferret…get back here…scrawny legs my butt…he is fast…geez! Can't catch me!"

"Hey no fair! Cheater!"

**Little baby Piper, awwwww! SO CUTE! He is like a Fennec isn't he? Chapter Seven should be full more of mystery! It'd be full of funnies…but no mist bunnies…and no bloody things that suck on your face in the middle of the night! *singsong voice* Anyway Murder, this doesn't have very much Abigail in it, but she'll be seen with Starling in Seven and Nine, ok! **

**Sorry for the wait, working today…and working… **

**Chapter Seven: The Namer**


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